Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus: Report of a case, review of the literature and clinical reappraisal

We report a case of a 59-year-old woman with a primary esophageal melanoma. A review of the literature is included to support the importance of preoperative diagnosis. Clinical staging is extremely important for identifying patients who would benefit from radical surgery and those for whom surgical or nonsurgical palliation is indicated. The role of immunohistochemical markers, and the current status of nonsurgical therapeutic modalities for primary esophageal melanoma are discussed. © 1989 S. Karger AG, Basel.